Dutch · Pronunciation Guide

How do you pronounce "de koffer" in Dutch?

Q: How do you pronounce de koffer in Dutch?

de koffer is pronounced with the stress described below. In IPA it is written /də ˈkɔfər/. It means “suitcase.” duh KOF-fur — a quiet k, a short rounded o, one f, and a weak second syllable.

duh KOF-fur — a quiet k, a short rounded o, one f, and a weak second syllable.

de koffer /də ˈkɔfər/

The -er ending is weightless. The word is a near-twin of "koffie" in its first syllable but diverges completely in its second — one ends on a full bright "ee," the other on a schwa.

Listen: de koffer

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Sound it out

k Released with no burst of air, which is the standard adjustment for every Dutch stop.

o Purse the lips a little and keep it brief — the doubled consonant behind it guarantees the shortness.

ff One f in speech. Dutch never holds a doubled consonant; the second letter is purely a spelling signal about the vowel.

er Schwa plus a very light r, fading rather than finishing.

Hear it in a sentence

Mijn koffer is klaar voor de reis.

My suitcase is ready for the trip.

Listen: Mijn koffer is klaar voor de reis.

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"Mijn koffer is klaar voor de reis" uses "voor" for purpose and ends on "reis" with its ei diphthong. The adjective "klaar" in the middle brings a long open "aah," so the sentence has three quite different vowel types in succession.

Where English speakers slip

Learners hold the double f and give the -er ending a full American r, both of which stretch a short word out of shape. The vowel also gets unrounded. And there is a lexical trap: "koffer" is a suitcase, not a coffer or a car boot, despite the resemblance.